Back to search results

Understanding Muscle Growth Responses to Nutrition in Adult Survivors of Childhood Acute lymphoblastic Leukaemia

University of Exeter - Public Health and Sport Sciences / Medical School

Qualification Type: PhD
Location: Exeter
Funding for: UK Students, EU Students, International Students
Funding amount: £19,237
Hours: Full Time, Part Time
Placed On: 11th September 2024
Closes: 4th November 2024
Reference: 5268

About the GW4 BioMed2 Doctoral Training Partnership

The partnership brings together the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff (lead) and Exeter to develop the next generation of biomedical researchers. Students will have access to the combined research strengths, training expertise and resources of the four research-intensive universities, with opportunities to participate in interdisciplinary and 'team science'. The DTP already has over 90 studentships over 6 cohorts in its first phase, along with 58 students over 3 cohorts in its second phase.

Project Information

Research Theme: Population Health Sciences

Summary: Survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) experience premature frailty and muscle atrophy. Muscle protein synthesis is crucial for muscle growth and is mainly stimulated by physical activity and dietary protein. Since dietary protein intakes in ALL survivors do not differ from the general population, it is suggested that the observed muscle atrophy is caused by an inability of muscle growth to respond normally to dietary stimuli, termed anabolic resistance. This PhD will mechanistically explore if anabolic resistance underlies frailty in ALL survivors in response to diet, and design tailored dietary and exercise interventions to promote muscle growth.

Project Description:

Sixty percent childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) survivors experience frailty 25 years before the general population (44 vs. 69 years) (Smitherman et al. 2020). Frailty, defined as muscle atrophy, exhaustion/low energy expenditure and weakness (Fried et al. 2001), leads to more comorbidities, relapse, and death (Ness et al 2013). Skeletal muscle mass is determined by the balance of protein muscle synthesis (MPS) and breakdown. MPS is stimulated by exercise and dietary protein and is considered a predominant component that dictates muscle growth (Davies et al. 2020). Protein intakes in ALL survivors do not differ from the general population (Belle et al 2017) suggesting an inability of MPS to respond normally to dietary stimuli, termed anabolic resistance. Indeed, anabolic resistance is a primary driver for muscle loss with age and inflammatory conditions. We showed that anabolic resistance may be driving muscle loss in Crohn’s disease, which has a similar muscle phenotype to ALL (Davies et al 2021). Studies investigating if anabolic resistance is a pathophysiology mechanism of frailty and dietary strategies designed to ameliorate frailty in ALL survivors are lacking. This project will measure muscle protein balance in childhood ALL survivors and matched-healthy controls in the fasted and fed states together with inflammatory and functional readouts to provide holistic muscle phenotypes. The results will be used by the PhD student to devise and test various nutrition (e.g. protein) or exercise strategies to promote MPS in subsequent studies.

We value your feedback on the quality of our adverts. If you have a comment to make about the overall quality of this advert, or its categorisation then please send us your feedback
Advert information

Type / Role:

Subject Area(s):

Location(s):

PhD tools
 

PhD Alert Created

Job Alert Created

Your PhD alert has been successfully created for this search.

Your job alert has been successfully created for this search.

Ok Ok

PhD Alert Created

Job Alert Created

Your PhD alert has been successfully created for this search.

Your job alert has been successfully created for this search.

Manage your job alerts Manage your job alerts

Account Verification Missing

In order to create multiple job alerts, you must first verify your email address to complete your account creation

Request verification email Request verification email

jobs.ac.uk Account Required

In order to create multiple alerts, you must create a jobs.ac.uk jobseeker account

Create Account Create Account

Alert Creation Failed

Unfortunately, your account is currently blocked. Please login to unblock your account.

Email Address Blocked

We received a delivery failure message when attempting to send you an email and therefore your email address has been blocked. You will not receive job alerts until your email address is unblocked. To do so, please choose from one of the two options below.

Max Alerts Reached

A maximum of 5 Job Alerts can be created against your account. Please remove an existing alert in order to create this new Job Alert

Manage your job alerts Manage your job alerts

Creation Failed

Unfortunately, your alert was not created at this time. Please try again.

Ok Ok

Create PhD Alert

Create Job Alert

When you create this PhD alert we will email you a selection of PhDs matching your criteria.When you create this job alert we will email you a selection of jobs matching your criteria. Our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy apply to this service. Any personal data you provide in setting up this alert is processed in accordance with our Privacy Notice

Create PhD Alert

Create Job Alert

When you create this PhD alert we will email you a selection of PhDs matching your criteria.When you create this job alert we will email you a selection of jobs matching your criteria. Our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy apply to this service. Any personal data you provide in setting up this alert is processed in accordance with our Privacy Notice

 
 
 
More PhDs from University of Exeter

Show all PhDs for this organisation …

More PhDs like this
Join in and follow us

Browser Upgrade Recommended

jobs.ac.uk has been optimised for the latest browsers.

For the best user experience, we recommend viewing jobs.ac.uk on one of the following:

Google Chrome Firefox Microsoft Edge